Yesterday was a really neat day, but such a long one for me. Deborah and I first met at our Asha’s Refuge office upstairs at our home church, The Church at Schilling Farms. We spoke with our pastor about the work that is going on in the refugee community. I was reminded about the blessings that we have received with such a supportive pastor and church family. Thank You Pastor Scott Payne and Church Family!

Deborah and I were working in our office trying to shuffle around important documents and get them into the right places they need to be in. Our papers are beginning to float around the office and find themselves in such “safe places” that we cannot even locate them. We recognized the need for secretarial help and so I put out a help request on our blog. That same day we got an email from our new friend Elaine who is ready and willing to fill that position. Thank you Elaine!

The afternoon brought some additional blessings. I was able to take a special Somali friend to the doctor who had been having repeated kidney pain and bleeding. After a few mishaps, we finally got to see Dr. Charles Wallace. The doctor and his staff was extremely
personable, thorough and helpful. He was very interested in my friend and how I was willing to help her. He spoke a few languages himself, had an interest in working in needy areas outside the US and wanted to know more about the work with refuges through Asha’s Refuge. He assured me that I was in the right place to receive help for my friend. Dr. Wallace seemed to have a heart to know more and just maybe one day he could be involved with Asha’s Refuge. As he completed the ultrasound and physical for my new english speaking friend, he worked hard to ask her questions in ways she might be able to understand and answer back. He was so patient with her. My friend and I were very thankful for finding a good doctor today.

I want to express the difficulty though of maneuvering a manual wheelchair in and out of my car, through parking lots AND parking garages, on and off small elevators, up long uphill ramps, through and between double non automatic doors, in tight restrooms stalls and offices. Getting around can be difficult for our friends and for us trying to help them. Wheelchair access has not been put in place every where. I can understand that it takes time for this to happen and that, unfortunately, certain situations will just be a little more difficult for those in wheelchairs. It’s eye opening though and for my disabled refugee friends, Asha’s Refuge wants to help make it easier for them to access the resources they need to successfully resettle. Eventually, it may be good for Asha’s Refuge to have a vehicle that would better transport those refugees who have challenges that would prevent them from walking.

I wonder, can an organization obtain a handicap vehicle sticker? Maybe we could then have access to park in handicapped parking areas I order to more easily get our friends in and out of our cars and into the places we go. I often have to park far away or stay in the parking isle, jump out, open my trunk to pull out the wheelchair, then quickly get my friend in her wheelchair and out of the way before a car comes behind me and then go park my car. Anyone have suggestions?

So I have lots of thank you’s! Thank you God for my ability to walk. It’s a blessing I truly take for granted.

Thanks for your prayers for Hassan Osman! We have just gotten word that he has been recovering nicely and may be out of the hospital and home this Friday. Please continue to lift him, his wife and family up in prayer. Hassan has been very thankful for and surprised by all the prayers and concern for him.

Every day is a new beginning. I keep reminding myself of that. Every moment I could choose to start fresh. Life can get overwhelming at times. Especially when you have a heart to help, serve and love others and so many “others” are struggling in their life. Not that I don’t also struggle. As a matter of fact I struggle often which is why I think I can be sensitive to people who need an encouraging word, friend or even better, the hope message of Jesus.

My work with refugees keeps me humble. Not just the work with refugees, but the poor. And not just the poor financially but the poor in spirit. I remind myself that I cannot “fix” all the situations that my friends, family or passerby’s are in. I remind myself that when their lives are in chaos, I am not. I whisper this to myself sometimes when I see chaos around me: “This is their chaos and NOT yours, Jamie.” I have to careful myself not to jump into their chaos and take it on as my own. I have to recognize it is their mishaps, frustrations, fear, drama or struggles and be willing to stand firmly with love on the foundation of Jesus even if that means I have to stand with them in the mud. If I am not rooted and on a firm foundation then I too will be shaken and then we may all fall down or sink in the mud. Then, what help will I be to anyone?

This concept of “standing in the mud” with my friends was in part taught to me by my dear friends, The Cromwell’s, whom my husband and I have traveled overseas with on several occasions. God makes beautiful things out of (dust) mud. Sometimes we have to stand in it and work through it to grow, to understand, to get stronger, to know who is really in charge and to break down our own agendas. We cannot always avoid the mud. When someone is in the mud of life (difficult life situations) it’s a little easier if they are not in the mud alone. What two people can do together is a lot more than what one person can do alone. Two in the mud is better than one. Two in the mud both loving and praying to God for wisdom and help is even better.

Another thing, when it’s your turn to stand in the mud, it’s nice to know:

1) You aren’t the first one who stood in it.
2). You aren’t currently standing in the mud alone. Many others are dealing with it too.
3). That the person standing next to you in the mud has been in it before.
4). You could be there a long time but it’s worth it in the end. Learn from the experience while your there.
5). That there is A Way out, but it might not be the way you expected.

Standing beside a friend in the mud requires me to first put on love. I cannot always give instruction. I must listen to them. I must be patient. I must be willing to stand my friend back up if they fall and encourage them to try again. Realize and admit that I don’t have all the answers. I can only state the facts or share my experiences, but the choices must be my friends. I must allow my friend to reach and not bring to them my own solutions. I must love them where they are and help them to see the things their position may blind them to. I must be willing to pray on their behalf not our will but His.

(After typing this, I could see this concept in many different lights. As Asha’s Refuge presses forward, I pray that we will be willing to stand in the mud with our friends, first with love, always remembering that sometimes the mud is the very place our lives and hearts become renewed and clean.)

Today was a such a  beautiful day for me.  It was so good to have some time to hang out with my dear friend Asha, her two girls and sweet Safa.  (I used to get to see Safa a lot more but since she started Kindergarten I don’t see her as often.  She actually spoke in English to me and said, “I miss you Jamie.”  Coming from a little girl who is 5…that was so sweet.  She asked about my friend Vivian too.  Sweet, sweet Safa.) We went to the Lichterman nature center and had a wonderful time.  The weather cooperated with us perfectly.  There was a steady breeze and the spring sunshine allowed us to view brilliant colored flowers and trees.  The birds were chirping all around us.

We took lots of pictures by all the pretty colored flowers.  We enjoyed our nature walk and stopped to have a picnic lunch.  We leaned over a bridge to feed a duck and a giant white catfish.  They liked our Cheetos.  Safa thought it was funny how the catfish would swim around with his mouth open wide as the orange Cheetos she threw into the pond would float right into his mouth.  Nemo seemed to think the catfish and the duck were competing for Cheetos and it was interesting how the big duck seemed more afraid of the giant fish.   Hodo took lots of pictures (she enjoyed learning how to use my fancy camera).

It dawned on me while I was at the park that this was something that Asha and the girls had never done before.  I was glad that there was a lot of interesting things for us to look at and do.  Asha and I enjoyed the time we had together as friends.  I loved hearing the girls laugh and watching them run, climb and play.  Asha repeatedly told me thank you for taking her out to enjoy a beautiful day at the park.  I know that her disability doesn’t allow her to be able to have the freedom to get out as much as she might like to.  Since her sister passed away, she’s raising her sister’s children as her own.  I am sure that she and her girls get tired of staying around the house, but they always manage to keep smiles on their faces.

Asha amazes me.  She has such strength and courage to have come as far as she has come and she is a wonderful mother to Nimo and Hodo.   Asha’s English has gotten so much better over the past 3-4 years and it excites me to be able to have more and more conversation with her.  Today, I am reminded of how far Asha has come and how happy I am that I named Asha’s Refuge after her.  She is an example to so many others in many ways.  Her smile melts my heart as I am so happy that she is happy and that she is my friend.  She has helped to change my life and I am thankful for her.

I’ll post a couple of pictures, because Asha knows that I may use them for Asha’s Refuge.  She supports me and our organization.  One day, I would love to be able to have Asha work with me at Asha’s.  We are praying for building space that is closer to the Binghampton area and monthly funding for it.  I trust that it will all come together…some day.

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Please continue to pray for Mr. Hassan who is still in critical condition at the hospital. He has been in critical care for two plus weeks now after his motorcycle accident. He has been resting and recovering for some time and has faced several medical challenges. Mr. Hassan has had a few long surgeries that were difficult and very necessary. He has had a few ups and downs which is certainly emotional for his family. He, his sweet wife and family would surely appreciate our continued prayers and support.

Please also remember Mr. Hassan’s friends and coworkers at the Catholic Charities Resettlement Office. This has been a difficult situation for them. Resettling refugees who have admired and looked up to Mr. Hassan are now very concerned for Him. Thank you for your continued prayers.

We have updated our volunteer page on our website.  We hope that the way the site is laid out helps our supporters to better understand the many ways that they can help.  Most people seem to know about our Friday morning English and Kindergarten Readiness Classes at New Bethel in Germantown, TN, but many are not aware of what Asha’s Refuge is doing the rest of the week.  We like to say that our Asha’s Refuge Staff is willing to “stand in the mud” with our friends in need.  The rest of the week, we are often “standing in the mud” with our refugee friends!  We make routine visits to see our friends to transport them to and from the doctor, help them to make appointments or complete applications, go to the grocery store, play with the children, eat snacks or meals with them, register them for school, answer questions about their mail, help them understand their bills, teach them a life skill, listen to their concerns, pray with them and encourage them when they are lonely or sick.

The refugees we assist are typically in a very hard and stressful season of their life.  They are often afraid.  Sometimes they are angry.  There are times when they are sad or depressed.  And then there are times our friends are confused but happy.  Whatever the transition they are in, we want them to know that they do not have to move through the difficult situation alone.  We are here as an advocate and a friend to them and we will help them move through the complicated systems that they are required to move through in order to accomplish the goals they want to accomplish.  We want our friends to achieve a successful resettlement and look forward to their promising future. 

Asha’s Refuge does NOT want anyone to become dependent on us nor do we wish to design a life for our refugee friends based on our own beliefs or opinions.  We do, however, want to love our friends as Jesus would encourage and care for those He served (which includes all people by the way).  Asha’s Refuge has several volunteer opportunities that does not included Friday mornings.  Please take a look at the list of ways you can volunteer with us by clicking on the “volunteer” tab at the top of our screen.  Your help is always greatly appreciated.

Each year about 200 families who have been displaced by war, famine and persecution are resettled by the UN and State Department right here in Memphis, TN.   Asha’s Refuge serves the most disadvantaged refugees who experience many challenges in successfully resettling.  We will be holding our quarterly volunteer orientation on Thursday, April 5 from 6-7:30 pm.  This is a great opportunity to learn more about the work of Asha’s Refuge and how God may be calling you to help us serve Memphis area refugees.

The location is The Church at Schilling Farms, 1035 Winchester Rd, Collierville TN 38138.  We will be meeting upstairs in the youth suite.

Please feel free to share this with anyone you feel needs to know about this opportunity.  ­­­­­­­­­For more information contact Jamie or Deborah.  See our contact information on this site.

Something has been on my mind today. I realized even more today that I have changed. I am no longer what I used to be. I no longer think the same ways as I used to. Working among the poor has changed me. My heart has changed. My opinions have shifted. My eyes are opened. My mind is renewed. My focus is different.

I’m ashamed to admit that for years in my earlier life I ranted and fussed over little things like everyday messes that were made by my children or husband in the house or being unable to keep my new minivan spit shined. I would frantically pull my hair out in the morning when it didn’t cooperate, throw a fit in the closet when I couldn’t find the perfect clothes to wear and rage on the road when I was late. My patience was non existent with others (and myself)…even though I loved them, “people” actually drove me crazy.

I wrote the above two paragraphs several days ago. Today’s a new day and I wanted to come back to this post to finish it up. Yes, I have changed. And today, I see even more how God has shown me more of Himself and has caused my heart to shift hopefully more in the likeness of His. I learn something new everyday.

My patience with people has changed. I recognize people everywhere I go. Especially those who are seemingly searching, lonely or hurting. I try not to rush through life anymore trying to accomplish “my” agendas but be more sensitive to Gods agenda and to those He wants me to stop and befriend. I hope I listen more even though I still cannot help myself to share with others the sweet things Jesus has taught me.

After working with so many different struggling people, I realize now that just about everyone struggles in life. (I’m actually not being picked on.). There is no reason for me to become frantic when life doesn’t look like I think it should. Maybe it was my immaturity then, but I see older people act the way I used to. It’s okay if my nails aren’t perfectly manicured and my house is not something always ready to be on the front cover of a magazine. That’s not what matters most to me anymore.

My opinions…I realize that so many misunderstandings occur because people think that they know what they may not truly know or because something is ever so slightly said in a different way that it seems utterly wrong when in fact it’s often the same thing said. I think Satan uses confusion to pull people apart from one another as well as from God a lot more often than we may realize. I think there are so many who wouldn’t say or do hurtful things if they understood what they don’t really understand but think they understand! Are you following me? I think there is a lot behind the statement Jesus said the day of His death, “Father, forgive them for they do not understand”. For if we understood so many things better then we may not react a lot of the ways that we do.

Life isn’t as stressful for me as it used to be and my life possibly has more going on in it today than it did before. I don’t get in a tissy so easily and I can hold my tongue a little easier. I realize more and more just how short and precious life is. My passion for Jesus remains strong and grows more and more each day I get out of my box (my home, my comfort zone, my own surroundings, my “me” world). I hardly ever have panic attacks, raging moments or depressive days anymore.

I am so thankful for what God has shown me through serving others, especially through helping my refugee friends. I am grateful that I am allowed to help them and appreciate every opportunity I am given. They have helped me more than I could ever help them. I am changed.

If you want to help disadvantaged families through Asha’s Refuge, you are needed! I don’t think you’ll be sorry for the time you spend. Please get in touch with us.